The Grand Turk Lighthouse

So many ships were lost on the reef off the northern end of Grand Turk that in 1852 a cast-iron lighthouse was made in England, shipped out in sections and assembled on the cliffs, where it has stood since. It was originally lit by whale oil. The tower is not open to climb, but the ground around it is a low clifftop with the Atlantic breaking below and a view along the whole eastern reef line, and there is a small park with a few displays and, on cruise days, the usual accompaniments. The northern end of the island is otherwise scrub and salt pond.

What you actually see

• The 1852 cast-iron tower - shipped in sections and bolted together here.
• The clifftop - the Atlantic breaking below and the reef line beyond.
• The wreck history - the reason the light was built at all.
• The northern scrub - salt ponds and empty coast around it.

When to go

November to May is the driest. Cruise days bring groups and the small park operates its attractions then. Mornings are quiet and the light on the cliffs is best. It takes half an hour.

Honest expectations

The tower cannot be climbed, which surprises people. The site has been progressively commercialised for cruise passengers with added attractions that sit oddly. The clifftop is undercut in places with no barrier. It takes half an hour and does not warrant more.

Nearby

Cockburn Town is fifteen minutes south; the cruise terminal is at the other end.